Final answer:
The simplest mole ratios, or empirical formulas, are CH₂O for glucose, H₂SO4 for sulfuric acid, and C4H8 for butene, as these formulas represent the elements in their lowest whole-number ratios.
Step-by-step explanation:
In chemistry, the simplest mole ratio of the elements in a compound is known as the empirical formula. It shows the elements in their lowest whole-number ratio. For the compounds listed, the simplest mole ratio for each substance is determined by dividing the subscripts in the molecular formula by their greatest common divisor.
Glucose (C6H12O6): The molecular formula indicates that one molecule of glucose contains 6 carbon (C), 12 hydrogen (H), and 6 oxygen (O) atoms. When these subscripts are divided by the greatest common divisor, which is 6, we get the simplest whole-number ratio for glucose, which is CH₂O.
Sulfuric acid (H2SO4): The molecular formula for sulfuric acid directly reflects the empirical formula, as it already is in the simplest whole-number ratio H₂SO4 and cannot be simplified further.
Butene (C4H8): The molecular formula for butene is C4H8. This formula is already in its simplest form as the ratio of carbon to hydrogen is 1:2. Therefore, the empirical formula for butene is C4H8, which cannot be reduced to a simpler ratio.